"It's incredibly exciting," the former Holby City actress told The Scottish Sun. "We've just had our first tour of the new school and it looks fantastic.

"There's a real buzz about the place and I just can't wait to start shooting next week."

Jacobs - who plays deputy head Sian Diamond - explained that she instantly agreed to join several other cast members for the move to Scotland, and is excited about the changes that will improve the series.

"I jumped at the chance. To get to travel and explore new places is so exciting. I can't wait to get to know Greenock and Glasgow.

"And in terms of the show, I've read the first two scripts and they are incredibly powerful. They really are Waterloo Road at its very best and the viewers are in for some real surprises. They're very exciting, especially the youth stories."

On her character Sian's upcoming storylines, she added: "Sian has been through a really tough time in her personal life - and once her marriage breaks down she has no hesitation in making the move to Scotland. It'll be a really fresh start for her."

The soap's move to Scotland will occur after new character Lorraine Donnegan - (My Family's Daniela Denby-Ashe) - convinces headteacher Michael Byrne (Alec Newman) to run a new independent school.

Eileen Gallagher, CEO of Shed Productions, explained: "Michael comes up to Scotland with a lot of passion. His vision for the school is that he wants every kid to be able to come in and give them a quality education.

"So we won't find the tone of the children changing. We won't suddenly find they become a lot of posh kids. It will feel like a comprehensive, it's a non-fee paying school."

She added: "Michael has to convince key staff to come to Scotland. But he also doesn't want to abandon pupils who are about to sit exams. So he offers to bring about half a dozen of them with him and puts them up in a boarding house next to the school. Therefore we maintain the continuity."